James f



No. 6|8,429. Patened 1an. 3|, |899. J. F. MuNslE. ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

lApplication filed July 26. 1897.. (No Model.)

Q el INVENTOR ATTORNEY ma mmm Para: co. Waremme., wAsmNTon. n. c.

NITED STATES.

JAMES F. MUNSIE, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THOMAS L.GOLES, OF SAME PLAGE.

ELCTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 618,429, dated January31, 1899.

Application led July Z6, 1897. Serial No. 645,996. (No'model.)

To aZZ whom it Wtay concern/:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MUNsIE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York, (Brooklyn,) county of Kings, and State ofNewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricRailways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric railways, and particularly to thattype of railway systems in which the driving electric motors aresupplied with a current from a series of contact-spots distributed alongthe track, normally inert or dead, but cut into the circuitautomatically during transit of a train thereover.

In carrying out my invention I provide two sets of strong metallic boxesburied in the road-bed at short intervals apart along the track. One setof these boxes contains a circuit-closer adapted to be depressed by apresser-bar secured to the motor-vehicle and which during transit of thevehicley connects a supply-conductor to a companion box containing thecontact-spot through which current is supplied to a collector-shoecarried by the car. The companion boxes are preferably arranged side byside. In order to prevent the sudden blow on the circuit-closer whichwould be made-by the bar carried by the car, I provide the cover of thebox containing the circuit-closer with a iiaring groove, so as toprovide a safe guide for the presser-bar and lead the same smoothly to aroller mounted on the top of the circuit-closer, which roller projectsthrough the bottom wall of a slot in said groove. The foot of thepresser-bar is provided with shoes or cams at its ends, a lit^ companionbox containing the spot from which current is led to the motor isprovided with a slot, and secured to its side walls, but

The

insulated therefrom, is a pair of exible metallic contact devices orbrushes, preferably formed of laminze of sheet-copper, phosphorbronze,or other suitable metal. The box is provided with double walls, the twobeing separated by insulating material applied in a plastic state,thereby insulating from the earth all parts which lie in the circuit. Inorder to prevent heating of the collector- 6o bar, I arrange thecontact-boxes in groups, each group covering a definite distance, andthe successive groups being staggered or laterally displaced, and Iemploy two or more collector-bars, both in the motor-circuit. Thus thecollector-bars will be successively brought into action. As it isdesirable not to lubricate them, undue heating is avoided, each being inaction only part of the time and having time to cool between intervalsof action. 7o

The several features of novelty of the invention will be moreparticularly hereinafter described, and will be definitely indicated inthe claims appended to the specication.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure lshows in plan a pair of companion circuit-boxes arranged according to myinvention. Fig. 2 shows a median vertical section of acircuit-controlling box. Figs. 3 and 4 show a portion of the 8opresser-bar mounted on the car. Figs. 5 and 5 are cross-sectional viewsof a pair of companion boxes. Fig. 6 shows in plan the distribution ofthe contact-boxes along the track, and Fig. '7 shows the relation of thepresser- 8 5 bar and collector mounted on the car and the contact-boxes.

Referring first to the circuit-closing box, l represents an outer hollowcasting, within which is supported the box proper, a filling 9o ofinsulating material 2 being applied in a plastic state as a separatingmedium. The inner box contains insulated contacts 3 3a, leading,respectively, t0 an insulated supplymain and the contact-spots of thecompanion box. Within the circuit-closing box 4 is mounted to yieldvertically a metal bar 5, the foot of which is adapted to bridge thecontacts 3 3 when the roller carried in a yoke at the top of the bar isdepressed. The roller roo projects through-a slot 6 (see Fig. 1) in thecover, said slot forming part of a tapering groove 7. The car isprovided with a presserbar 8, shod at its forward ends with cams orshoes 9 9, carrying oil-cups 10 10. The presser-bar enters the groove 7,being guided 'thereinto by the flaring walls of the groove.

The top of the box slopes away from the middle toward the ends, as seenin Fig. 2 at 11 11, and the forward ends of the shoes 9 9a are beveled.Thus in passing over a circuit-closing box the shoes 9 9 are raised bythe sloping cover, which takes the impact of the blow and lessens theWear and tear on the circuitcloser 5 and its contact-roller. Thecircuitcloser is not depressed until the cams have passed it and permitthe presser-bar to be vertically depressed by the downwardly-slopingwalls of the groove. The contact-box and its companion box are alsopreferably made with double walls having insulating material 17 between,as clearly shown in Fig. 5, and carry on the inside of the coverinsulated rails 12 12, from which project brushes 13, formed of thinsheet metal, or other yielding contact devices. A collector-rail 14,carried by the bottom of the car, passes through a slot in the cover andengages the brushes.

I preferably arrange the contact-boxes so that a plurality ofpresser-bars may be employed, supported side by side on the bottom ofthe vehicle, said contact-boxes being staggered at intervals along theline of way, as shown in Fig. 3 at 15 15, so that each collector will bein service only a part of the time. Thus the heat due to rubbing isgreatly reduced and each bar is given time to cool.

W'hen the roller is depressed, the contacts 3 3 are electricallyconnected by the foot of the circuit-closer, thus bringing the rollers12 12 into circuit with the supply-main 16, the current being led to thecar-motor by the collector 14, which engages the brushes 13.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is#

1. In a surface-contact electric railway, a circuit-closin g boxcontaining a movable device adapt-ed to close or open a circuit lead ingfrom an insulated supply-Wire, said movable device normally projectingthrough an opening in the box-cover, guide-walls on the top of the boxabove the level of the circuitcloser, said guide-Walls being adapted tocooperate with a presser-bar carried by the car to raise the latter awayfrom the circuit-closer during the first part of its transit over thebox and thus preserve the circuit-closer from a sudden impact blow. l

2. A circuit-controlling box for a surface; contact electric-railwaysystem containing a movable circuit-closer and a guide sloping to andfrom said circuit-closer, said guide being adapted to cooperate with apresser-bar mounted on a vehicle, to relieve the circuit= closer of theshock of impact.

3. A circuit-closing box for a surface-contact electric-railway systemcontaininga movable circuit-closer, a grooved cover into which saidcircuit-closer projects, and sloping walls above the circuit-closer, forthe purpose described.

4. In a surface-contact electric railway a multiplicity of pairs ofboXes along the track one box of each pair containingcircuit-controlling devices and the other' box contact spots.

5. In a surface-contact railroad system, a series of disconnectedcontact-boxes distributed along the track, said boxes being arranged inpairs, one of each pair containing a movable circuitn closer projectinginto a guidegroove in the top 'of the box adapted to be operated by apresser-bar carried by a car, the other box containing contact-spotsbrought into the circuit by the action of the circuit-closer.

6. A surface-contact electric railway comprising a series ofcircuit-controlling boxes distributed along the track, and arranged ingroups laterally displaced at intervals to engage dierentcircuit-controlling bars carried by the vehicle, to prevent heatin g ofthe same.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th day ofJuly, A. D.

JAMES F. MUNSIE. Vitnesses:

Roer. H. READ, EUGENE SONDHEIM.

